National Geographic Unveils 2016-2017 NewFronts Slate

Including 10 New Digital Short Series,First Instagram Video
Series,Cause-Related Social Takeover,Socially Driven
Nationwide Casting Call for Explorer and the Launch of The NG VR STUDIO

Additional Highlights IncludeNational Geographic Channel’s
First Digital Short Series Before Mars,Prequel to the
Global Television Event MARS;Nat Geo WILD’s First Digital
Series, Wild_LifeWith Bertie Gregory;National
Geographic’s First How-To Series, Get Out: A Guide to Adventure;and a First Look at @NATGEO, a Book Coming This Fall With the
Best of National Geographic’s Instagram Images

May 09, 2016 11:29 AM Eastern Daylight Time

NEW YORK--(BUSINESS WIRE)--National Geographic (@NatGeo) revealed today its 2016-2017 NewFronts
slate, bringing consumers closer to the adventure than ever before. The
announcement was made by National Geographic Partners CEO Declan Moore
at the media conglomerate’s first NewFronts event since the formation of
the expanded joint venture last November that brings together all of the
media assets of National Geographic under one umbrella, including the
global television channels, magazine, travel, kids and social and
digital properties. For more information,visit www.nationalgeographic.com
or follow @NatGeo on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and Snapchat.

“What makes National Geographic stand out in a crowded digital media
space? World-class storytelling backed by 128 years of science and
exploration — and a strong sense of purpose. Our competitive advantage
starts with our people — on the ground, in the field and all around the
world at any given time,” said Moore. “Consumers and corporate partners
alike come to us for our unparalleled access to the people and
stories that are impacting our ever-changing world. Engagement with our
brand can be seen most significantly by our massive social media
footprint that now generates more than 1.6 billion monthly actions.”

The new programming includes 10 digital short series — most notably Before
Mars, a prequel to the highly anticipated television event series MARS
— and Wild_Life With Bertie Gregory, Nat Geo WILD’s premiere
digital series featuring the up-and-coming filmmaker’s journey into the
Pacific Northwest in search of elusive coastal rain wolves.

Building on the unrivaled success of the @NatGeo Instagram community
(48.4 million followers) the new original Instagram series MoviNG
Pictures will capture intimate moments from photographers in the
field. Through short videos, photographers will share their experiences
while on assignment, giving followers an up close and personal look at
life behind the lens.

National Geographic photographers will also play a role in The Moment
— an initiative launching this fall in which Nat Geo photographers and
social ambassadors will be enlisted to focus their lens and storytelling
on a singular subject, at the same time, to drive global awareness and
change for some of the biggest issues facing our planet today. From
fresh water on World Water Day to feeding a planet of 7 billion on World
Food Day, The Moment will grab the attention of the world, with
the best images, videos and stories through a full-on social takeover
across Snapchat Discovery, Live Stories, Instagram, Facebook Live,
Twitter and other social and digital platforms.

Also announced was the plan to form NG VR STUDIO — a virtual reality
studio that will take viewers to the front lines of the action, placing
them on the ground alongside Nat Geo explorers, photographers and
storytellers through Nat Geo VR. Harnessing the unparalleled resources
and access of National Geographic, Nat Geo VR will offer both originals
and franchises of the brand’s popular media properties, transporting
users deep inside the stories covered in Explorer, simulating
what it takes to build a home on the Red Planet in anticipation of the
global television event MARS, and going on assignment with
photographers and filmmakers such as Brian Skerry and Renan Ozturk.

In addition, National Geographic is launching a socially driven
nationwide casting call for a digital correspondent for National
Geographic Channel’s critically acclaimed documentary series Explorer.
The correspondent will create digital narratives that expand on show
topics while giving a voice to the National Geographic audience through
the curation of related social conversation.

Finally, National Geographic shared a first look at @NATGEO: The Most
Popular Instagram Photos,featuring the brand’s most
liked and commented-on photos. @NatGeo is the world’s largest
noncelebrity Instagram account, featuring the work of award-winning
photographers such as Paul Nicklen, Joel Sartore and Michael Yamashita.
The book, on stands October 25, 2016, will feature forewords by
Instagram CEO and co-founder Kevin Systrom and adventure photographer
Cory Richards, and will be curated by Pulitzer Prize-winning
photographer Ken Geiger, the deputy director of photography at National
Geographic magazine.

The 2016-2017 NewFronts Slate includes:(Please note:
All are working titles and subject to change.)

DIGITAL SHORTS

Animal Close-UpNational Geographic is serving up the
cutest, funniest and strangest faces of the animal kingdom. Each episode
brings viewers closer to the animals they love, alongside important
stories and insights, to provide a better understanding of these
adorable creatures.

Before MarsNational Geographic Channel’s first-ever digital
short series, Before Mars, sets the scene for the highly
anticipated fall event series MARS. The six-part series, set in
present day 2016, presents a heart-warming story about change,
exploration, discovery and friendship, while entertaining and engaging
the audience with a combination of mysterious cliffhangers and hopeful
adventures. It also creates a narrative arc to the larger series
debuting in November, with twin girls’ struggle to adjust to their new
rural home, paralleling mankind’s desire to one day make Mars home.

Get Out: A Guide to AdventureNational Geographic’s first
how-to series, Get Out,featuresadventure experts
as they share insider tips and tricks to owning the outdoors like a pro,
taking viewers one step closer to living like a Nat Geo explorer.

InvisibleEver wonder how a bat lands upside down? We'll
show you the unbelievable acrobatics of a bat, frame by frame. What
happens in the split second a human bursts into laughter? Or sneezes? Or
cries? We'll break these down in (often hilarious) slow motion with
scientists and psychologists explaining frame by frame.

LimitlessIn Limitless, National Geographic goes
inside the bodies and minds of individuals who seem almost super-human,
surprising viewers with insights into what makes a world-class athlete
physically superior to the rest of us.

NGeniusIn National Geographic’s original web series
targeted at millennials, host Angeli Gabriel answers intriguing
questions that plague the human mind in an entertaining, engaging and
relatable way. Covering topics from science to history and sprinkled
with quick wit and pop culture references, NGenius is Nat Geo’s
answer to the trendy YouTube explainer series that have gained extreme
popularity in the digital age.

NG GoldThrough National Geographic’s extensive arsenal of
filmmakers and scientists, we have access to some of the most special,
wild and unbelievable moments around the globe. These include capturing
a crocodile’s mouth clamping down on a camera, discovering an elusive
shark in an underwater volcano or witnessing a baby blue whale nursing
its mother in the wild.

The Real (City)Everyone knows that the best way to
experience a city is to talk to the locals. In The Real (City)
National Geographic Travel takes viewers to cities around the world,
uncovering the hidden gems known only by the inhabitants who live there,
and inspiring each of us to pack our bags.

Wild_Life With Bertie GregoryIn Nat Geo WILD’s first
digital series, wildlife filmmaker Bertie Gregory journeys to the
Pacific Northwest in search of the elusive coastal wolves that inhabit
one of the last places on the planet where a wild forest meets a wild
ocean. While in the field, Bertie navigates harsh terrain filled with
unexpected encounters, all in an effort to find and film wolves that
seem more like ghosts of the Northwest than actual creatures.

About National Geographic Partners LLC

National Geographic Partners LLC, a joint venture between National
Geographic Society and 21st Century Fox, combines National
Geographic television channels with National Geographic’s media and
consumer-oriented assets, including National Geographic magazines;
National Geographic Studios; related digital and social media platforms;
books; maps; children’s media; and ancillary activities that include
travel, global experiences and events, archival sales, catalog,
licensing and e-commerce businesses. A portion of the proceeds from
National Geographic Partners LLC will be used to fund science,
exploration, conservation and education through significant ongoing
contributions to the work of the National Geographic Society. For more
information, visit www.nationalgeographic.com and
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